Lakewood, CO – According to findings of the 2011 National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) National Demographic Study, 60 percent of skiers and snowboarders now wear helmets while enjoying the slopes at U.S. ski areas, up from 56 percent during the 2009-10 season.

Helmet usage among those interviewed nationwide has increased 140 percent since the 2003 season, when only 25 percent of skiers and snowboarders were wearing a helmet at the time of being interviewed. More importantly, 74 percent of children aged 17 and younger wear helmets while skiing and snowboarding, which represents a significant increase of 131 percent from the 2003 season.

The annual Demographic Study is compiled from more than 130,000 interviews of skiers and snowboarders nationwide, over the course of the 2010-11 season. The NSAA Demographic survey also revealed that 91 percent of children 9 years old or younger wear ski/snowboard helmets, 77 percent of children between 10 and 14 wear ski/snowboard helmets, and 74 percent of adults over the age of 65 wear ski/snowboard helmets. Skiers and snowboarders aged 18 to 24 have traditionally represented the lowest percentage of helmet use among all age groups. This year, 48 percent of all 18 to 24 year olds interviewed wore helmets, representing a 166 percent increase in usage for this age group since the 2002-03 season, when only 18 percent wore helmets.

“Parents and resorts continue to do a great job of promoting the use of helmets for guests, especially children,” said Michael Berry, president of NSAA.

NSAA and its member resorts promote the use of helmets. NSAA officials say that the organization views skiing and snowboarding in a safe and responsible manner – not only wearing helmets – as the primary safety consideration for all skiers and snowboarders. NSAA recently launched a revamped Lids on Kids website designed to provide parents with pertinent helmet safety information that includes new videos, fun games for kids, and simple helmet sizing instructions to help ensure a proper fit.